Homemade air fryer mozzarella sticks made with an herb crust and gooey, stretchy cheese. This easy recipe is made with elongated mozzarella cheese sticks battered and breaded with gluten-free flour and panko crumbs, made in the air fryer without oil. Serve this tasty appetizer with marinara sauce or ranch for a quick and easy snack to share.
When the kids are home from school, I’m always trying to find new things to make for lunch and snacks. I recently started trying out a few snack options in the air fryer we could share together like a batch of gluten-free mozzarella sticks. This has become a family favorite!
Gluten-free Mozzarella Sticks
Our family is almost entirely gluten-free to adapt to dietary needs. That means I try to adapt classic recipes using gluten-free ingredients as much as possible without compromising taste and texture. This recipe can be made with regular flour and panko but also works well with gluten-free versions.
The best part is this recipe doesn’t require frying in oil. It feels like an indulgent snack without the extra work and heat during the hot summer months.
This mozzarella sticks recipe can be made with string cheese, but we tend to prefer Italian-style mozzarella cheese that melts easily. It comes in a square and is easy to slice into sticks.
What kind of air fryer works best for mozzarella sticks
I recently purchased a new air fryer, and our entire family loves this new kitchen gadget. We already own the Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker/Air Fryer, and while it’s an excellent air fryer, I wanted a basket that could cook more food at once.
After doing some research I discovered the Ninja foodi air fryer to be our best option. It has a basket that holds the equivalent of a 9×13 sheet pan. This allows us to cook more at once instead of smaller batches. This was the perfect fit for our family and is already getting a lot of use testing out new air fryer recipes.
Gluten-free Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks Video Tutorial
How to make mozzarella sticks in the air fryer
- Slice the cheese into sticks. I’m using a brick of mozzarella cheese, but this recipe will also work with round mozzarella slices. The cheese is 16 ounces, but in half then sliced vertically to make 2.5x1x.5 mozzarella sticks.
- Coat the cheese sticks in a thin layer of flour (I’m using Cup 4 Cup gluten-free flour blend). Set flour aside for later.
- Place on a sheet pan and freeze for one hour.
- In a shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- In a separate shallow dish, whisk together eggs and water.
- Lightly dip the frozen cheese sticks in flour again, then the egg and shake off excess. Coat in panko crumbs lightly
- pressing the crumbs on as needed. Place on air fryer basket that has been coated in cooking spray.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400. Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add 1-2 minutes as needed.
- Carefully remove from air fryer basket and serve warm with marinara or ranch.
Can you freeze mozzarella sticks?
- Yes! Prep the mozzarella sticks in advance, store them in an airtight container, and air fry when you’re ready to eat. If you’re hoping to make a big batch, simply double the recipe to make enough for a party crowd size or to store for an afternoon snack.
Mozzarella Sticks (gluten-free)
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup flour
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup panko
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Slice mozzarella cheese into 1/2 inch thick sticks.
- Dip the cheese sticks into flour and place them on a baking sheet; set aside flour for later. Freeze for 1 hour.
- Combine panko crumbs, chopped parsley, salt, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
- Whisk eggs and water together in a separate shallow dish.
- Coat the frozen cheese sticks in flour again, then the egg, followed by the panko crumbs.
- Coat air fryer basket with cooking spray. Lay mozzarella sticks on the basket.
- Air fry at 400° for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!